Trainline campaign promises control in a world of constant disruption

Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam has developed a full-funnel campaign to introduce Trainline’s brand and product vision, The way to train.

The work showcases a suite of AI and data-driven tools designed to guide travellers through every stage of a rail journey, including periods of disruption, as the UK enters a period of expected rail delays.

The campaign coincides with Trainline’s largest product release to date, featuring Travel Forecast, Delay Repay Notifications, Travel Assistant and Train Swap. These tools aim to give passengers more control and information during travel.

Aligning brand and product around journey support

Jo McClintock, vice president of brand and marketing, Trainline: "This is a landmark moment for Trainline in our mission to be the indispensable partner that customers can rely on for every part of their journey. What's so exciting is that this project is the direct result of a real business transformation and a true marriage of our product, brand and marketing functions partnering with the team at W+K Amsterdam and our other agency partners. By aligning our innovative features with our brand, we’re able to solve that common pain point of disruptions for our customers."

Trainline’s teams and Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam identified an opportunity to reposition the service from a ticket provider to a journey partner, addressing a major challenge for travellers: disruption. Research showed that sixty six percent of travellers expect or fear disruption when booking, with many citing a lack of control and information. The findings informed the creation of a unified brand and product strategy built around support throughout the rail experience.

Creative platform reflects commuter frustration

Nick Docherty, chief strategy officer at Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam: "We’re excited to partner with Trainline on such a pivotal moment. The Way To Train isn’t just a brand refresh, it’s a platform for business transformation. It takes Trainline beyond a rail booking service to open up a future where the brand can serve customers at every single point of their journey."

Ramona Todoca and Edouard Olhagaray, creative directors at Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam: "We wanted to showcase the absurdity that train commuters experience on a daily basis. It can sometimes feel like they are stuck in a loop, with no solution in sight. All they want is a way out. The new set of features gives them just that, proving Trainline is The Way To Train."

Campaign captures emotions around disruption

The campaign introduces Trainline’s renewed brand identity and highlights how the features address the frustrations and uncertainty associated with delays. A brand film uses a pan-and-scan fresco technique to zoom into characters caught in repeated cycles of disruption before demonstrating how they can regain control through the app’s tools.

The UK launch spans digital, marketing, brand and communications channels, serving as a broad introduction to Trainline’s repositioning and feature set.

www.thetrainline.com

Follow Marketing Report on LinkedIn